Sports digest

A fast start and number eight Johnny Guy’s brace of tries were the key to St Andrew’s lifting the Leinster Schools Fr Godfrey Junior Cup at Templeville Road yesterday.

Centre Jordan Larmour and number eight Guy (2) pierced the Gerard’s defence for the three tries, Larmour also kicking a penalty that moved the Booterstown school out to an 18-6 lead at the break.

St Gerard’s scrapped for every inch of ground and just about kept in touch with two penalties by their centre Adam Simmonds. It got even tighter when left wing Chris McHenry brought them to within seven points with a quicksilver finish. Tighthead Syed Rizvi’s try took St Andrew’s finally out of reach.

TENNIS: World number one Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova stayed on track for a mouth-watering showdown in the final of the Indian Wells WTA tournament while defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was beaten by Ana Ivanovic yesterday.

GAELIC GAMES:The GAA’s Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) has released its full decision in the case taken by Monaghan against their punishment iover the fracas during their NFL match with Kildare. The county had succeeded in having overturned the order that they play last week’s league match in Louth rather than at home as scheduled.

According to the DRA, the decision was taken on the grounds the Central Hearings Committee, which imposed the punishment, wasn’t empowered to make fixtures.

“On this ground the Tribunal agrees and upholds the arguments made by the Claimant in paragraph 7 ie, the CHC’s “forfeiture of home advantage” penalty for breach of under Rule 7.2(d)(3) usurped the expressly reserved scheduling and fixture role of the CCCC with respect to the National Football League.”

Given that Monaghan’s challenge succeeded on that basis, the argument that the punishment was disproportionate was deemed moot.

Federer survives early pressure

TENNIS: Triple champion Roger Federer survived an early storm from Milos Raonic before taking control to complete a 6-7 6-2, 6-4 victory in the third round of the Indian Wells ATP tournament yesterday.

Stunned by the young Canadian’s power serving in the opening set, the Swiss maestro delivered a master class in the next two, sealing victory in just over two hours when the towering Raonic netted a forehand.

Federer, who had never played the 21-year-old Canadian, will next face Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who benefited from a walkover when Russian Nikolay Davydenko withdrew due to illness.

For me it was a difficult match, Federer said.

“I hung in there and played a great second set. The third set was close and Im happy to be moving on in the tournament. ”

Chisora has his licence withdrawn by British body

BOXING:Heavyweight Dereck Chisora had his licence withdrawn by British professional boxing’s governing body yesterday for the post-fight brawl with compatriot David Haye in Munich last month.

“His licence got withdrawn and what will happen now is we’ll consider whether to appeal the decision,” the BBC quoted his promoter Frank Warren as saying after Chisora attended a British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) hearing in Cardiff.

The boxer had already been banned indefinitely by the World Boxing Council (WBC) for what it called “one of the worst behaviours ever by a professional” after he lost on points to their heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

Chisora, who had slapped Klitschko on the cheek at the weigh-in and spat water in the face of younger brother Vladimir in pre-fight ceremonies, clashed with Haye at a news conference after his defeat.